Traveling bag



Sept. 3, 1940. H, MCCURDY I 2,213,821

TRAVELING BAG Filed Nov. 24, 1957 17 INVENTOR. iEE-SC ML E. McCuRDYATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNETED STATEfi garish PATENT @FFiQE TRAVELING BAGHerschel E. McCurdy, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 24, 1937, Serial No. 176,198

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a traveling bagand has for its object the provision of a traveling bag provided with aseparate compartment positioned within the interior of the bag soarranged and constructed that access to the compartment may be hadwithout requiring the opening of the bag itself.

Experience has shown that there is considerable inconvenience in beingrequired to open a traveling bag to remove small articles therefrom.This is due to the fact that it frequently is a difiicult task to openthe bag which has been closely packed and also to the fact that by suchopening and closing of the bag the contents thereof frequently becomedisarranged and crumpled.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a traveling baghaving a compartment positioned interiorly thereof separate from theinterior thereof and accessible from the exterior thereof withoutnecessitating the opening of the bag itself.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a traveling bag soarranged and constructed that it is provided with a separate compartmentaccessible from the exterior and having parts which may be disconnectedso as not to interfere with the ordinary use or arrangement of thetraveling bag when it is not desired to use the separate compartment.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a traveling bag soarranged and on structed that various parts thereof may be easily andquickly assembled to provide a compartment separate from the remainderthereof and accessible from the exterior thereof without requiring theopening of the traveling bag itself.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanyingdrawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. l is a perspective View of a traveling bag embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective View of a traveling bag embodyingthe invention showing the separate compartment opened from the exterior.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a traveling bag in open form showing theinvention applied.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view through the locking mechanism ofthe invention.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken on line 1-? of 5 Fig. 6.

As shown in the drawing, the invention is illustrated as adapted for useon a traveling bag having a pair of box-like sections H and i2 hingedlyconnected together at one of their edges and 10 adapted for beingsecured togetherwith their edges in meeting relation when in closedposition by means of the catches 93, a lock i l and straps H5. Thebottom of the section I2 is formed from parts i 6 and ii, parts beingformed integral with the wall it of the bottom section 12. As shown inFig. 4 the parts it and ii overlap at adjacent edges and are connectedtogether by the flexible flap I8 which, when the part ii is in closingposition, doubles upon itself in bellowslike form. The opposite edge ofthe part ll is connected by the flexible flap it to the end wall 28. Theend edge of the part or flap ii is turned at right angles to provide theportion 2! which is secured to the edge 22 of the end wall 28 by areleasable fastening mechanism or hookless slide fastener commonly knownto the trade as a Zipper, this fastener extending around the side edgeand the upper edge of the flap or part ii. The edge 23 of the flap orpart ll which overlaps the adjacent edge of the part it, is also securedto the part it: by a releasable connection 2A which is of the Zippertype. An actuating tab 25 is used to control the opening and closing ofthis fastening and secured to the tab is a chain 26 carrying on its enda plate 2i having an opening 28 formed therein. A similar chain 29 isfastened to the tab which operates the connection along the edge whichis fastened to the end wall 29 and the side wall 30. This chain 2% alsocarries an opening bearing plate 3 i.

In the lock it there is provided a cross-head i l projecting upwardlyfrom which is a stem 35 carrying the lock barrel 4%. This cross-head isguided by the pair of guide pins ll and it which project throughopenings formed in the crosshead i l and which are mounted on andproject upwardlyfrom the bottom Q9 of the housing. Springs 5% serve tonormally press the cross-head upwardly so that the prongs 5! carried bythe cross-head may project through the hasps 52 mounted on the sectionit to secure the sections l l and E2 in closed relation. The device isso controlled that the plates 21 and'3l may be projected through theside of the housing into the 55 path of the prongs 5| so that when thedevice is in closed position, the prongs 5! will project through theopenings formed in the plates 27 and 3! and thus the flap or part i!will be locked 31 which may lie flat upon the part I 6 or be I swungupwardly to the position at which it eX- tends at right angles to thepart Hi. This partition is of such width that when it is swung upwardlyat right angles to the part I6, it will be the same height as the depthof the section l2. This partition carries a flexible flap 38 which maybe folded over the edge of the member 33 and secured thereto by snapfasteners, the flap 38 carrying one portion 38 of these fasteners andthe part 33 carrying the other part 35 of the fasteners. When the'flap38 is folded over the edge of the part 33 and fastened thereto, themember 33 will be held in close engagement with the ledge 39 whichextends around the section l2 and thus, there will be provided acompartment fill within the traveling bag separate from the remainder ofthe traveling bag. When this bag is closed, ac-

cess to the compartment 4% may be effected by releasing the Zipperconnections and swinging the flap or section ll into the position shownin Fig. 2, the strap I5 which is attached at one end. 1 to this flap orsection being first unbuckled.

In this way there is provided an easy and quickly operated means forforming a compart ment separate and distinct from the remainder of thetraveling bag and also of affording access to this compartment from theexterior. Consequently, the user of the bag may pack small andfrequently needed articles such as toilet articles in the compartmentthus formed and access tothese articles had at all desirable timeswithout disturbing the other contents of the traveling bag andwithoutnecessitating the opening of the bag.

When it is not desired to use the separate compartment, the partition 31may be laid flat upon the inner face ofthe section I6 and the partitionparts 32 and 33 snapped together. With the flap I! secured in closedposition; as shown in Fig. 1,

the traveling bag may then be used in the usual manner.

It is believed that it will appear obvious that various modificationsand changes might be made in the particular detail of structure arrangedto form the separate compartment and to secure the various partstogether. It is the intention to include within the present inventionsuch modifications and changes as would appear to one skilled in the artand which may come within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new is:

A traveling bag of the class described, comprising a pair of bagsections swingably connected together along one of their edges, a lockfor locking said sections together and including a slidable prongcarried by one section and releasably engaging a hasp carried by theother section, the bottom of one of said sections embodying an outwardlyswingable flap; means for connecting opposite edges of said flap tosaidbottom for limiting the outward swinging movement thereof and permittingthe closing of said fiap; a'partitionforming, member swingably mountedat one of its edges on the inner surface of said bottom and extendingtransversely thereof, and adapted to lie fiat against the said bottomwhen in one position and to extend vertically thereto when in anotherposition; a central partition mounted on one of said sections andadapted upon the closing of said sections together, for separating theinterior of said sections from each other. said partition comprising apair of cooperating parts; means for securing one of said parts to andin engagement with said transversely extending partition-forming memberupon the extension of the same vertically to form therewith a separatecompartment in said section accessible from the exterior of said bagupon the outward swinging of said swingable flap; means for securingsaid partition parts together in alignment with each other; a pair ofslide fasteners securing said flap against outward swinging movement, aplate having an aperture therethrough carried by each fastener, and saidplates being adapted to be aligned with said hasp to permit said prongof said lock to pass through said apertures and lock said fasteners.

HERSCHEL E. MCCURDY.

